Dispenser with removable container



Nav. 1s, 1949 C. C. BAUERLEIN ET AL 2,487,999

DISPENSER WITH REMOVABLE CONTAINER Filed June 20, 1945 I 2 ShetS-Sheet l Z757 Hihi Nov. l5, 1949 c. c. BAUERLEIN ETAL K 2,487,999

DISPENSER WITH REMOVABLE CONTAINER Filed June 2o, .1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 Z@ A7K if@ KM 2571x3775.

Patented Nov. l5, 1949 y 2,481,999 DISPENSER wrrn nEMovABLE CONTAINER Carl C. Bauerlein, Glencoe, and Edward J. Jackie- ,wicz, Chicago, Ill., assignors to The Dole Valve Company, Chicago.lll., a corporation of Illinois Application June zo, 1945, serial No. 609,540 claims. (ci. zzz- 325) Our invention relates to a dispenser and more particularly to a dispenser unit which can be bodily removed from a housing without necessitating any special disconnecting operations.

In the use of dispensers and particularly those for dispensing fluids such as carbonated beverages and the like, it is important that the dispensing unit be readily accessible for purposes of repair, cleaning and the like. Frequently such a dispensing unit is located in a very cramped or limited space and as a consequence it is highly desirable that the unit be capable of being removed without necessitating the manual disconnection of parts.

Accordingly it is the aim of our invention to provide a dispensing unit which can be bodily removed from its place of use solely by an up- -ward displacement of the unit and without necessitating any special manual disconnecting operations. y

y Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid dispensing unit which can be readily introduced in a housing and mounted in an operative position solely by lowering it into its intended position of use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser unit which may be bodily removed VfromV a casing by merely displacing it from its seat in the casing.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided a self-contained removable dispensing unit for disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening, the unit including a iluid container, a cooling coil and a downwardly depending nozzle having associat' ed therewith a guide member for telescoping the nozzle opening and a flange toseat on a. portion of the housing defining the opening, the. unit being bodily displaceable away from said flange which provides a. seatV for the unit whereby the guide member and the nozzle can be withdrawn away from said opening, all without necessitating any manual disconnections other than the bodily displacement of the unit.

Still another feature of the invention relates to the provision in the aforesaid unit of a connection for the coil which can be withdrawn from the nozzle and which includes a part'having a freely detachable engagement with manually operated means in the housing whereby the valve 2 mechanism can be disconnected from the man` ually operated device in the housing solely by bodily displacement of the unit from its seat in the housing. y

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description'taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a sing embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a dispensing housing showing ourd novel dispensing unit inoperative position; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 1 showing the unit in the process of being displaced bodily from the housing.

As shown on the drawing: l I

The reference character 9 designates .generally a housing which may be of any suitable construction and is provided with a removable top designated generally by the reference character 8 (Figure 1). Positioned within the housing is a removable dispenser unit designated generallyby the reference character 'I which includes a fluid container I0 for accommodating a uld, such as beverage syrup, to be dispensed. In addition the unit 1 includes a cooling coil II r disposed about the lower portion of the container I0 and'which has an inlet end connection 20 to be described more fully hereinafter. Also the coil II has an outward connection I2 which communicates with the interior of a plunger controlled valve I3 for controlling the ow of fluid from the coil to the y `lect of a separate invention and is being covered in the copending application, Serial No. 575,782, led Februaryfz', 1945. Also the subjectvmatter of the details of the valve mechanism I3 is being covered in a separate copending application, Serial No. 600,780, filed June 21, 1945.

The nozzle head I4 has a downwardly depending circular skirt I6 for telescoping an opening Il formed in a tubular flange structure I8 in the bottom 4of the housing 9. This skirt I6 constitutes a guide member and is adapted to tightly and snugly fit in the cylindrical opening of the tubular element or flange sleeve I8, with the nozzle I5 projecting beyond the housing shown in Figure 1. f

We also prowide the skirt It with a resilient annular gasket i9 which may be of the flap type and is adapted t9 sealingly engage the inner surface o! the sleeve Il when the unit is mounted in operative position within the housing t. From Figure 1 it is also clear that the head I4 of the 4nozzle structure has its undersurface arranged may be of any conventional construction and includes a threaded end for coupling to a suitable supply conduit.

The machined end 20 of the cooling coil is adapted to have a snug i'it in the hole 22 and is preferably provided with a rubber gasket 2| so as to have a seal-tight engagement with the block 2l. The fit thaty is provided is a sliding type of llt so that upon upward movement of the unit the end 20 oi' the coil can be withdrawn from the block 23..

The valve mechanism I3 has projecting laterally therefrom the free end of a plunger 2t adapted to make contact with the head 21 of an operating plunger 28 suitably carried in a front wall of the housing l. This plunger 28 is arranged to cooperate with a rotatable cam member 29 having a handle 30 for turning the same. The construction of this vcam is such that upon rotation of the handle the plunger 28 will be moved inwardly to depress the plunger 2t and thus result in the operation of the dispenser unit to dispense iluid through the nozzle I6. The specilic construction of the handle 30, the cam' 29 and the plunger 28 associated therewith is not part of this invention since the same is being No. 600,541, illed June 20, 1945. It Should, howvever, be noted that the cam 29 and the handle I0 are carried on a false front Il suitably attached f to the housing 9.

It will, of course, be appreciated that any suitable mechanism can be employed for depressing the plunger 26 and that as far as this invention is concerned. the only prerequisite is that the j plunger be free for quick disconnection from the mechanism without requiring any manual disconnecting operations.

Normally when the dispensing unit is in opera; tive position the valve 24 is open so that a source of fluid or carbonated water is being supplied to the coil I I. Itis, of course, to be understood that the coil II may be cooled by any suitable means such, for example, as 4ice disposed within the housing 9. When the unit is in operative position, it will be in the position shown in Figure l with the end 20 of the coil in a seal-tight tit in the block 23 and with the guide element or skirt I8 tightly nested in the sleeve I8. Also when in this position, the plunger 26 will be engaged by the head 21 of the mechanism for manually depressing the same. It is only upon depression of the plunger 26 that the valve I3 is opened to allow carbonated iluid to flow into the inside of the nozzle which at the same time results in the ilow of syrup along with the carbonated water out of the nozzle I5. The detail mechanism for accomplishing this is not part of this invention and as far as this invention is concerned the interior mechv covered in a copending patent application, Serial 4 anism of the nozzle may be of any suitable construction.

When it is desired to remove the unit from cooperation with the housing for the purpose o! cleaning or repairing the same, the only mechanical operations that are required are to iirst close the valve 24 and then lift the unit 1 upwardly away from its seat on the bottom oi the housing as shown in Figure 2.

During this movement, by reason of the quick disconnection at 20 for the end of the coil and also the lack of any fastening at either the plunger 28 or the nozzle It, the entire unit can be completely removed without necessitating that the operator perform any mechanical disconnect operations such as unscrewing couplings, bolts and the like.

After the unit has been repaired or cleaned. it or a new unit may be readily placed back in the housing by merely inserting the guide skirt I8 in the sleeve I8 and aligning the end 20 of the coil with the hole 22. When the unit is completely seated on the bottom of the housing, the plunger 28 will automatically be in engagement with the head 21 of themechanism for controlling the reciprocation of the plunger in the dispensing of iluid.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: v

1. A self-contained removable dispenser unit for disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening, said unit including a lluid container, a cooling coil, an inter-engaging connecltion between said cooling coil and housing, a ldownwardly depending nozzle having associated therewith a guide member for telescoping said nozzle opening and a flange to seat on a portion of the housing defining said opening, said unit being bodily removable from said housing solely by raising it out or the housing whereby said guide member and nozzlecan be withdrawn upwardly away from said opening, valve means controlling the flow of iluid from said cooling coil and container and carried by said unit, free of any connection with said housing for bodily removal with said unit, an operating handle on said housing, and an operative connection between said operating handle and said valve means, so constructed and arranged with respect to said interengaging connection and nozzle receiving opening as to have operative engagement therewith when said iiange is seated on the portion of the housing defining the nozzle opening and said interengaging connection is made.

2. A self-contained removable dispenser unit for disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening, said unit including a fluid container, a cooling coil, an interengaging connection between said coil and housing, a downwardly depending` nozzle having associated therewith a guide member for telescoping said nozzle opening and a ange to seat on a portion of the housing dening said opening, said unit being bodily removable from said housing solely by raising it out of the housing whereby said guide member and nozzle can be withdrawn upwardly away from said opening, a valve mechanism connected with said cooling coil and container for controlling the dispensing of iluid from said cooling coil and confor disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening and control means for controlling the dispensing of fluid from the unit, said unit including a fluid container, a downwardly depending nozzle having associated therewith a guide member for tightly telescoping said nozzle opening and a iiange to seat on a portion of the housing defining said opening, and a valve mechanism for controlling the iiow of iluid out of the nozzle including a depressible plunger, operating means on the outside of said housing operable by said control means to depress said plunger, and so positioned as to be aligned for registering engagement therewith upon engagement of said guide member with said nozzle receiving opening and the seating of said flange on the portion of the housing dening the nozzle opening,` and said plunger being readily displaceable from cooperation with said operating means in the housing solely by lifting of the unit out of the housing and away from said iiange.

4. A self-contained removable dispenser unit for disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening and provided with a source of uid supply, said unit including a uid container, a cooling coil associated therewith, a downwardly depending nozzle having in proximity thereto ya guide member for tightly telescoping saidv nozzle unit, a ange to seat on a portion of the housing dening said opening, a connection on an end of said coil readily detachable solely upon upward movement of the unit for cooperation with said Vsource of iiuid supply, said unit being bodily removable upwardly from the housing solely by raising the same off of said iange whereby said guide member and nozzle can be withdrawn upwardly away from said opening and the connection with said iiuid supply can be broken, and a valve mechanism for controlling the dispensing of iiuid from said cooling coil and container through said nozzle including a depressible plunger having a free outer extremity so that the unit including said valve mechanism can be bodily lifted without necessitating any mechanical disconnection of the plunger, a movable valve operating handle on said housing, a depressible member operated thereby and so positioned as to have registering engagement with said plunger upon engagement of said guide member and said connection on the end of said cooling coil with their respective connections in said housing.

5. A self-contained removable dispensing unit for disposition in a housing having a nozzle receiving opening and control means for controlling the dispensing of fluid from the unit, said unit including a iiuid container, a downwardly depending nozzle having associated therewith a guide member for tightly telescoping said nozzle opening and a iiange 'to seat on a portion of the housing, defining said opening, a iiuid supply connection, arranged to supply fluid for dispensing through said nozzle, valve means on said dispensing unit arranged to dispense iiuid through said nozzle, said fluid supply connection including a male member for slidingly and sealingly telescoping an opening in a iiuid source of supply associated with said housing and said control means including a valve operating member on said housing so positioned with respect to said iiange and said opening for said source of fluid supply as to come into operative engagement with said valve means upon the seating of said dispensing unit on said ange and the engagement of said male member with said opening.

CARL C. BAUERLEIN. EDWARD J. JASKLEWICZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austin Dec. 15,` 1931 

